The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-04
CARPENTERS STRIKE.
Nearly Seven Thousand: Men to 70 Out on a
Strike To-day.

| NeheAy seven 4houHhnds sAIen to TO Out on a
Strike To-day.
CHICAGO, April 3.--The $500 carpenters
employed by the various contractors and
shop owners throughout the city and
suburbs will CEASE work tomorrow morn.
lng and building operations in this co univ
vii! be sus spended indefinitely. The
leaders OF the carpenters who after a long
struggle last GUNNER fai led to carry out
their demands for eight hours and an in
crease OF wages decided then to renew the
contest and think that now when building
enterprise ia reviving and carpenters are
wanted, the time has arrived to make the
employers yield. The carpenters are well
organized. Scarcely three hundred OF
their trade in the county are outside OF
their ranks. They have three distinct
bodies. The Germans and the greater
part Of the American and Irish carpenters
form the several branches OF tho brother.
hood OF carpenters md jciners Of America,
The French Canadians and some hun
dreds OF Irish belong to the Knights OF
Labor. The Engiah carpenters oomposA
what Is known as the AmalSamated Car
penters Association. All these oryanizs.
tons are united in centra! body called
the United Carpenters Council. Throe
months ago the Council gave notice to
employers that at the begiuning OF April
the men would demand thirty.hye centa
an hour, eight hours to constitute DAVIS
work. WageshRve been averaging twenty
five cents and the hours have varied be.
tween eight andten. Contrary to frs. re-.
ports only few Of tho contractors when
waited upon by committees April lst &C.
coded to the demands. The great major
ity merely said they wonld abide by the
action OF the Master Carpenters Associa.
ton.
To-day mass meeting OF the carpenters
Was held in Battery d srmofy to discuss
the adviaabiity Of general strike. Over
SIX thonRand men were present. Mr.,
Willism kliver, President OF the Chicago
Trades Assembly, presided. 1t was a 80.
cret meeting, every man Of tho 5000 hny.
ing TO present his carpenters trade card
IN order to gain admission. Pres;den,
kliver made q long speech reviewing the
situation. He claimed tho carpenters
were the most abused men in the building
trades. They were paid the lowest wages
while their work was as hard and indis.
pensable as that Of the bricklayers and
masona who earned almoat twice ns much,
A year ago the carpenters strike WIS a
failure simply because their organization
was weak in numbers aud totally lacked
funds. Now they were strong, and should
right their wronga. After Bimllsr speech
in German Il revolution that All work cease
Tomorrow unless tho demands were grant.
ed was read.
Then arose W. H. Riley, member OF
knights Of Labor Distric. Assembly FL OF
which Robert Nelson, tho United Labor
candidate for Mayor, Is Manter Workman.
Rlley, IN = rattling sreech for the reaolu.
ton, boldly told the Six thousand listen.
Ing men that q victory at tho polls for tho
Labor ticket Tueaday meant also a victory
for the carponters, and urged them "to do
their duty lilo waa enthupiastically an.
plsuded. Editor Albert Curlin, Auyusl
Spies SUCCESSOR as editor Of the Arieiter
Zeltung, was tho next speakor.
The giBt OF Curln'B speech was that the
carpenters were fools II they did not strike
when they had such chance. His Ger.
man hearers, ho said, addreasipg them in
their own tongue, should do everything
In their power TO deieat Roche, the eor,
want oi the capitalists and tho tool of the
temperance crankH. Tho English epeak-
ing portion of tho audience grew rce,iys
while Curtin wns speaking in German,
and cut him abort with ieeta md at.caiia
though tho dormann applauled vigorous.
ly. At this moment Paul GroitKAp, tho
Milwaukee, Socialiat, appeared Ut the on.
trance TO tho hall md nnnlina for ,J,,;,